


Irregular Orbit

by Beth Harker (Beth_Harker)



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: Gen, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 07:17:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17219402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Harker/pseuds/Beth%20Harker
Summary: Jack wants to be an astronaut, but he has to pass Mr. Snyder’s physics class first.





	Irregular Orbit

Jack Kelly sat two rows in front of David in their physics class. It was an eight AM lesson, and Jack slept and texted through it, mostly. The first thing that David had ever noticed about him was his T-shirt, which was well worn, and obviously meant for someone much younger and smaller than Jack, on whom it was dangerously close to becoming a crop top. It wasn’t a polite thing to pay attention to, any more than it would have been polite for somebody to focus on the way that the sleeves of David’s button downs weren’t quite the right length for his arms, but it wasn’t disdain of Jack’s clothing choices that caught David’s attention. It was something else, something that David didn’t want to think too much about.

It was only after a few ill spent weeks memorizing the curve of Jack’s shoulders that David got a chance to read the front of his shirt. It happened when Jack was racing through the hallways, with the Delancey brothers in hot pursuit. The Delanceys were assholes, and when Jack collided head on with David and didn’t even stop to help him pick up the books he’d dropped, David decided that Jack was just as bad as they were. Still, the sight of Jack was emblazoned in his mind, a tall boy with an insufferable smirk, and NASA written in cracked and fading letters across his chest.

Midterms rolled around, and David earned a 96 in physics. It was a difficult test, considering the teacher had spent more time talking about how global warming was caused by cows than explaining the complicated equations that his students would need for success. David could almost sympathize with Jack, who got a twenty-seven, and crumpled his paper into a tiny ball with a look of bitter disappointment.

On the way out of the classroom that day, David paused. Usually the only person who bolted out of the room faster than their sorry excuse for a teacher was Jack. Today Jack was standing in front of a poster of the solar system, tracing irregular orbits with his finger tips. David came up behind him, almost put his hand on Jack’s shoulder, then stopped himself. “Mr. Snyder doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” David heard himself say.

Jack snorted. “Tell me about it. I came in here looking for a teacher, and got myself a goddamn jail warden instead. You know how many detentions that jerk has given me?”

“That’s because you sleep in class,” David pointed out.

“You on his side or what?”

“No! He should’ve been fired years ago. Practically nobody is doing well in this class, which says more about him than us.”

Jack turned away from the poster, looking David up and down. “Practically no one, huh?”

Though David couldn’t say why, he felt suddenly warmer. He wiped his sweaty palms on the side of his jeans, and hoped that Jack wouldn’t notice.

“So,” Jack said started, “the syllabus says we’re about to start in on a unit about space. Do you want me to tutor you or what?”

“Right, because I’m the one who needs tutoring.” David rolled his eyes. Jack Kelly was just as ridiculous as he’d imagined he would be. “Maybe you should be the one asking me for help.”

“Maybe the two of us can help each other.”

Jack reached out to shake David’s hand, and David withdrew instinctively.

“What?” Jack asked. “You afraid I got germs?”

“No. I just don’t think you have any idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Fair enough,” Jack said. He glanced at the door, and then at David, with a smile that for just a split second seemed something other than infuriating. “Would you be up for giving me a chance to prove you wrong?


End file.
